  Introduction Think for
a moment of the caterpillar. He begins life as a lowly, uninteresting
little creature. But he is transformed by an extraordinary metamorphosis—which
even the scientists to not understand—into the most exquisite and
fragile butterfly. In a similar way, your relationship is changing today.
You will no longer be, just two good friends. Today you are being transformed
into one. Marriage is the merger of two separate individuals into a
union dedicated for their common good. Why
Do You Love? Have you
ever thought about why you want to get married? Take a moment and gaze
into each other’s eyes. What is it that you see there that has
captured your soul? What spark, what love, and what beauty have you
found in those eyes that have made you into a better person? Do you
remember when you first met? When you first kissed? Can you recall the
moment when your lover turned your life and your heart upside down? Now, today, you have come to bring all of these emotions into something more. Today, you stand before these witnesses and desire to make a commitment that will last for a lifetime of fulfillment. That is your hope, your desire and your commitment today. Love
is a Verb Now we
know that there will never be a perfect marriage. As you enter into
this next step in your relationship, you should understand that it takes
a lot of love AND a lot of work to make a good marriage. Some couples
tend to think of marriage as a 50/50 proposition. But the best relationships
are usually 90/10. If you both will give 90% and take only 10—you’ll
have a formula likely to bring both of you a lifetime of happiness. When you
don’t feel like being loving, think about how you would like to
be treated. When you sense that you are being ignored, learn how to
listen to your partner’s needs. (Name
of Groom) and (Name
of Bride), in the Jamaican
custom, “Giv and Tek an Mek Up”. While marriages
are founded and built upon love, emotions are often fickle. Poet Carl
Sandburg captured the essence of a love, which can stand the test of
time, when he wrote: His
Vows (Name
of Groom), please take the rose and give it to
(Name of Groom).
(Name of Bride),
let this beautiful flower, that you have given to (Name
of Bride), remind you of the beautiful and fragile
nature of your relationship with her. Cherish her always, treating her
as your princess. Do you,
(Name of Bride),
take (Name of Groom),
to be your wife? Will you love and cherish her, giving her assistance
in all of life’s labors? Will you be true to her both in sickness
and health, when things are going well and when there are problems?
And will you be faithful to her as long as you both shall live? If so,
you may answer, “I WILL”. Her
Vows (Name
of Bride), please take the rose and give it to
(Name of Groom).
(Name of Bride),
let this beautiful flower, that you have given to (Name
of Groom) remind you of the beautiful and fragile
nature of your relationship with him. Cherish him always, treating him
as your prince. Do you,
(Name of Bride),
take (Name of Groom),
to be your husband? Will you love and cherish him, giving him assistance
in all of life’s labors? Will you be true to him both in sickness
and health, when things are going well and when there are problems?
And will you be faithful to him as long as you both shall live? If so,
you may answer, “I WILL”. Her
Ring (Name
of Groom), may I have the ring that is the lasting
symbol of your vows to (Name
of Bride)? This ring
is gold and it has been subject to tremendous heat so that the waste
could be removed and the metal purified; it is a fit token of your commitment
of love. (Name of
Groom),
let this ring symbolize your willingness to build your character, as
you love (Name of
Bride). Place the
ring on the third finger of (Name
of Bride)’S left hand and repeat after me
as you make these vows to (Name
of Bride): His
Ring (Name
of Bride), May I have the ring that is the lasting
symbol of your vows to (Name
of Groom)? The ring
is a circle. A circle has no ending so it symbolizes an enduring love.
(Name of Bride),
let this ring remind you of this lifetime commitment you are making
to (Name of
Groom)
today. Place the
ring on the third finder of (Name
of Groom)’S left hand and repeat after me
as you make these vows to him: “From
this day on, I, (Name
of Bride), take you,
(Name of Groom),
to be my husband. I will love you; I will cherish you; I will be true
to you no matter what comes into our lives—if we are rich or poor;
or if there is sickness or health, I’m committed to stay with you
as long as we both shall live and this ring is a symbol of my pledge
of marriage to you.” Now that
you, (Name of Groom)
and (Name of Bride),
have openly declared your wish to be united in marriage, and as you
have made these promises to each other before these witnesses, and have
given each other rings to confirm your vows: By the
power and authority given to me as a minister, according to the laws
of the Country of Jamaica, do now pronounce you to be: Husband and
Wife! You
may kiss your Bride! Spiritual Ceremony | Christian Ceremony | Ceremonies of the Heart
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